Third Degree
by ebi pers
Summary: Aunt Cass has a date. Tadashi is happy for her but Hiro gets a little overprotective...


**A/N: Hey, ya'll! I'm on a Big Hero 6 kick lately so I decided to get this one out. Big news! I'm going on vacation to the holy land of all Disney lovers: DISNEY WORLD! I'm hoping to find some serious Baymax merchandise and hopefully get some inspiration for my writing. But I wanted to post one more time before leaving. I received a request to do something featuring Aunt Cass a bit more heavily, as well as some headcanon while scrolling Tumblr. I decided to incorporate that with some stuff I already had planned to produce this oneshot because I feel Aunt Cass isn't appreciated nearly as much as she deserves to be. The story: Aunt Cass has a date and Hiro and Tadashi start to get a little overprotective of their aunt. I hope you'll enjoy and please drop a review!**

**Also, this could take place at really any point in the narrative before, during, or after the movie. It's still in my timeline. It's just not specific. So pick whenever you like, really.**

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><p>"Aunt Cass, what's there to eat?" Hiro dropped his backpack on the floor by the door to the apartment and made a beeline for the fridge.<p>

"Hmm?" Aunt Cass looked up from her book distractedly, removing an earbud. "Oh! Just…go down to the café and pick something." She put the earbud back in and returned to skimming pages of her book, not really seeing or processing what was in front of her.

"O…kay?" Hiro's face twisted in confusion and he backtracked out the door.

It wasn't like he _expected _Aunt Cass to have a snack ready for him when he came home from school. Okay, maybe he kind of did expect it. But only because she had _always _had a snack ready for him afterschool. The only times she didn't were when the café was too busy (it was basically dead today), she was sick (she wasn't), or she was distracted. But Aunt Cass was hardly ever distracted. In fact, the only time Hiro could recall her mind being elsewhere was when she had…a…_date_.

The boy froze in the middle of the café, where the one part-time employee working today was pouring coffee for one of three customers. _No_. Aunt Cass couldn't have a date. She would have told them. And yet…she seemed oddly laidback and cheerful today, especially given her usually energetic standards. But how could she have a date? She hadn't been talking to anyone. At least not to his knowledge. And it wasn't like Aunt Cass to keep secrets from him. Maybe Tadashi knew…

Just as Hiro thought it, his older brother walked through the door, having finished his final class of the day nearly an hour ago. "Hey," the older Hamada greeted.

"Aunt Cass is acting weird," Hiro blurted.

"Huh?" Tadashi pulled his satchel over his head and began to carry it toward the back staircase, making for the apartment.

"No, seriously Tadashi! She acting _weird_," the younger boy followed him.

"What do you mean?" Tadashi questioned over his shoulder as they made their way up the stairs. He opened the door and stopped short so that Hiro collided with his back with a muffled "_oof_."

Aunt Cass was humming to herself, earbuds in, sauntering about the room spraying several perfumes into the air and smelling each.

"Uh…Aunt Cass?" Tadashi let his bag fall to the floor beside him. Hiro peered out from behind his older brother, surprised and horrified at what he saw. _She definitely has a date._

"Oh hi, Tadashi!" their aunt greeted him. "If you're hungry, help yourself to something in the café!"

"See?" Hiro whispered, glancing up at his brother out of the corner of his eyes. "_Weird_."

"Um…Aunt Cass?" the older brother began, "what exactly are you…doing?"

"Testing scents," she answered simply. "I'm going out with a friend tonight and I…"

"I knew it!" Hiro leapt out from behind Tadashi and pointed a finger accusingly. "Humming?" He took a step closer to his aunt. "Perfume?" He was now inches from her. If he wasn't so short, it might have almost been threatening. The boy's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Who is he?"

Aunt Cass looked surprised. "Who said anything about a he?"

Tadashi folded his arms and did his best mock impression of a stern parent. "C'mon Aunt Cass, you never put on perfume when you're going out with your girlfriends."

She looked from her elder nephew to her younger one. "Oh, alright," she caved. "His name's John. I met him at a poetry reading at the bookstore a few blocks down."

"What's he look like?" Hiro demanded.

"Oh, he's about five foot ten, green eyes, brownish-blond hair."

"What's he do for a living?" the boy continued.

"Oh! H-he's a writer and a professor at San Fransokyo State…"

"He have a prison record?" Hiro's eyes narrowed to slits as he continued to fire questions rapidly at his aunt.

"I don't know, Hiro!" she practically shouted. "Do you think that's something I would ask of a guy I just met?" She paused. "Maybe I should've asked," she murmured to herself. "But I didn't! I mean I'd assume not, he seems really nice. But then again it's always the nice ones…No, no, he's an academic! They have job screenings, they wouldn't hire a convict. Well…at least not a violent one. Gah! I'm going to dinner with John and I'll be fine. I have pepper spray and I took six months' worth of self-defense classes, okay?" She gestured frantically.

"You remember the karate moves I showed you? Just in case?" Tadashi asked, clearly amused by the exchange.

"Yes," Aunt Cass replied more calmly.

The older brother shrugged. "I'm satisfied. C'mon, Hiro…"

Hiro clearly was not as amused and made no move to follow his older brother. "I want to meet him," he said.

Aunt Cass laughed nervously at her scrawny, undersized genius nephew who was doing his best to look tough. "Dear, I can handle myself." She gazed at her unwavering nephew. "But he's coming to pick me up…I suppose he could come in for a bit."

Tadashi rolled his eyes but his younger brother seemed satisfied with this solution.

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><p>Aunt Cass came down the stairs and paraded around the living room in a black dress and white heels, a string of pearls around her neck. The faint scent of perfume trailed her. "What do you think?"<p>

"You look good," Tadashi complimented.

"He'll be here soon. I'd better go upstairs and straighten my hair."

The Hamada brothers made their way down to the café to wait for their aunt's date for the evening.

"Behave, bonehead," Tadashi nudged his younger brother. "Don't scare him off."

"_He _better not give me a reason," Hiro replied sourly. "This is Aunt Cass we're talking about here. He better be the most awesome guy around to deserve her."

It was true. Aunt Cass had gone on many dates that hadn't worked out. Sometimes the men were too absorbed in their careers. Other times they were too absorbed in themselves. And sometimes they just didn't hit it off. Either way, she was inevitably disappointed when things didn't pan out the way they planned. Tadashi may have been content to let their aunt decide for herself, but Hiro had taken it upon himself to screen every potential candidate, just to make sure they were really good enough for their aunt.

"Why don't we let her decide, hmm?"

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><p>John entered the now-closed café about three minutes early. Hiro wasn't sure whether he should be annoyed at his punctuality or glad that he knew how to be somewhere on time. The man's looks certainly didn't help. He was tall, broad-shouldered with a slightly ruddy complexion. His hair was trimmed and wind-swept, exactly the color Aunt Cass had described. In short, he was handsome.<p>

"You must be Tadashi and Hiro," he greeted upon entering.

"Yes," Tadashi went to meet him at the door, shaking his hand. "I'm Tadashi, this is my younger brother Hiro."

"Hello, Hiro," the man gave a small wave.

"Hey," Hiro replied almost too casually, rocking his chair back on its hind legs.

"Aunt Cass will be right down," Tadashi continued. "Would you like something to drink while you wait?" he asked.

"No, thank you."

"When will you have her back?" Hiro began his interrogation. Tadashi put a palm to his forehead. _Every time_. Every time Aunt Cass had a gentleman caller, Hiro gave him a third degree.

John chuckled good-naturedly, making the boy scowl. "Don't worry. I'll make sure that your aunt gets home at a reasonable time."

"Ten PM," Hiro retorted, the chair rocking back dangerously.

"What he means is…" Tadashi cut in, "we usually turn in at around ten, but if you want to stay out later that's fine! Don't worry about us."

"Where are you going?" Hiro demanded.

John seemed taken aback by how quickly the kid was spitting questions out. "Well, I thought I would take Cass to the sushi place that opened up across town. We were talking at the bookstore and she mentioned how she likes sushi…" he trailed off awkwardly. Hiro continued rocking. Tadashi grinned nervously and prayed Aunt Cass would come down before his younger brother attacked the poor guy.

"So, Tadashi," John tried to make conversation. "I hear you go to SFIT?"

"That's right," Tadashi answered. "I'm majoring in robotic engineering. Aunt Cass mentioned you teach at SF State?"

"That's right! I teach a few writing and literature courses there and—"

"Bet that doesn't leave a lot of time for a personal life," Hiro cut in. Tadashi sent him a stern glare that he promptly ignored.

"Oh…no…I-I have a personal life, of course," the man replied.

"You been married before? Kids?"

"No I…"

"Why not? Prison sentence too long? Did you just get out?"

"What?"

"Okay!" Tadashi cut in with a nervous laugh. "He's…he's joking. Just kidding around! Hiro's such a joker, right Hiro?" he noogied his little brother awkwardly, incredibly embarrassed by the boy's poor manners and worried Aunt Cass would never have a chance to see where this relationship went.

"Actually I—" Hiro began.

"He's kidding!" Tadashi cut him off, fixing to drag him off his chair for a private brother conference in the kitchen. They were interrupted as Aunt Cass finally descended the steps with great flourish.

"Oh, John! You look lovely!" she practically sang as she made her way across the room to greet him with a hug.

"I couldn't hold a candle to the way you look, Cass," he produced a bouquet of roses for her.

Hiro made a gagging noise and Tadashi elbowed him.

"I see you met the boys," Cass called from the kitchen as she searched for something to put the flowers in.

"Um, yes," John answered. "We had a nice little chat, didn't we guys?"

"That's great!" Aunt Cass replied, plopping the flowers in a vase. "I'm glad you're all getting along." She rejoined the three in the dining area.

"So, shall we?" John offered her his arm, which she took.

"Don't wait up, boys!" she called over her shoulder as they exited the café.

"He seems nice," Tadashi stated.

Hiro groaned and rocked so far back on his chair that he fell over.

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><p>It was close to midnight by the time Aunt Cass stepped into the apartment. She flipped on the light, letting out a surprised gasp when she saw Tadashi and Hiro sitting on the couch. Tadashi looked tired but Hiro was clearly expecting her.<p>

"I told you not to wait up," she said.

"How did it go?" Tadashi asked.

"Eh," was the response.

Hiro looked delighted, Tadashi concerned.

"Was he married? Been to prison? Lying about his job?" Hiro asked eagerly. These were all things that had happened to Cass on previous dates.

"No, no," Aunt Cass sighed. "I just…don't think it'll work out." She kicked off her heels and plucked a stale muffin off the counter. "He couldn't stop talking about himself. The whole time. 'I wrote a novel that got published here, I gave a lecture here, I traveled to this country, I met this author' the whole time. I was getting sick of it." She sank into the couch between her nephews and picked at the muffin.

Hiro grinned smugly at Tadashi. "I told you he was no good." Tadashi was too tired to dignify his brother with a response.

"Sorry it didn't work out," he said sympathetically.

"Don't be," Aunt Cass answered around a mouthful of muffin. "I couldn't stand the guy. He asked if I wanted to go out again. I had to make up an excuse about being busy. Besides," she put an arm around each of her nephews, "I've got the two most important men in my life right here."

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><p><strong>AN: Well, what did you think? I actually really liked the idea of a precocious, overprotective Hiro. I definitely feel like he'd be the one to get all hostile with the guy while Tadashi would be more laidback and willing to let things run their course. I imagine Cass as being a casual person who dates every so often but has never really found "Mr. Right" but at the same time she's not really concerned with finding "Mr. Right." I don't know. I just see her as being busy with the café and raising her nephews and less concerned with having a love life. Anyway, please review and tell me what you thought? I was aiming for a more lighthearted piece. I hope everyone was still in character.**

**If you guys have any more ideas/prompts/whatever you would like to see, please let me know! I'll do my best to write something for them (I make no promises). I hope you enjoyed and I'll try to post something while I'm at Disney. Keep your eyes peeled! (And in case I don't write before then, I hope all of you celebrating a holiday this season have a Happy Holidays!)**


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